Professor Michel Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

In an era where social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, negative phenomena have emerged with significant impacts on societies and individuals, the most dangerous of which are demonization and hate speech. These phenomena are not merely words on a screen or circulating images; they have a real capacity to alter our perceptions of others, create distorted stereotypes, and reinforce prejudices, leading to the emergence of violent and dangerous social behaviors.

Religions have addressed this phenomenon sternly and warned humanity against falling into this deadly trap, yet this scourge has accompanied humankind throughout history.

Demonization (dehumanization) is the process of turning a person or a group of people into beings considered less human—whether in rights, emotions, or moral value. In other words, when a certain group is treated as “less human,” it becomes easier for individuals or groups to exercise violence or discrimination against them because they are no longer seen as fully human.

Both ancient and modern history are full of examples of demonization, whether in wars, colonization, or periods of racial discrimination that afflicted many societies.

In wars, aggressor groups often use language that diminishes human value, labeling people as “monsters,” “mindless enemies,” “primitives”, or “backward”, which facilitates killing civilians or treating them mercilessly. During colonization, portraying colonized peoples as less intelligent or less cultured justified their exploitation and the plundering of their wealth. In the modern era, demonization appears online, where images, videos, or memes diminish the value of specific groups, whether for racial, gender, social, or political reasons.

Organized By MECC

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) organized a seminar entitled “Public Discourse in Wartime: Towards Dialogue to Reduce Hate” as part of the “Light of Hope” initiative, which MECC launched in response to the serious security developments in Lebanon and the Middle East. The initiative also covers the MECC ongoing humanitarian, field, and relief work and updates.

The seminar was held at the MECC Platform of the Word, with an online participation from Religious and Spiritual Leaders, intellectuals, and experts from various fields and sectors of life. It aimed to highlight the importance of the proper use of language, words, and discourse in building peace, especially amid escalating conflicts. It also stressed the need to overcome hate speech, promote values of love, dialogue, and respect, and strengthen a culture of dialogue and encounter among the diverse components of society.

Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian to the Middle East Council of Churches:

Rootedness in land and identity led to the genocide

We renew our commitment to be children of God, preserving the human dignity of every person and every people

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Amidst all the challenges of life and the escalating daily crises, the 111th Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide comes carrying much hope and faith, reinforcing a cry for truth and justice from hearts that have not yet healed.

Yet they are hearts determined to remain, to stand firm, and to exist. Hearts that chose to preserve Armenian identity, continuing the journey of their forefathers through witness, generosity, and the preservation of spiritual, moral, and social values.

The cause of the Armenian people remains an ongoing cause for future generations, and a beacon for Prayer, solidarity, and determination.

On the 111th Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) held a special video talk with Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family. This video was part of a special media episode commemorating the massacres against the Armenian people, entitled "Keeping Memory Alive," produced by the Middle East Council of Churches.

مرصد فلسطين – تقرير الجمعة 24 نيسان/ أبريل 2026

In light of the worsening humanitarian and social conditions in the region due to the escalation of security operations, the Middle East Council of Churches presents a weekly report entitled "Palestine Monitor," which includes the latest developments in Palestine, especially amid the deteriorating living, social, and security conditions in the country. Some texts will be in Arabic, and some others in English, depending on the source.

في ظلّ تفاقم الظروف الإنسانيّة والاجتماعيّة في المنطقة جرّاء تصاعد العمليّات الأمنيّة فيها، يقدّم مجلس كنائس الشرق الأوسط تقريرًا أسبوعيًّا بعنوان "مرصد فلسطين" حيث يتضمّن آخر المستجدّات الّتي تشهدها فلسطين خصوصًا وسط تدهور الظروف المعيشيّة والاجتماعيّة والأمنيّة في البلاد. ستكون بعض النصوص باللغة العربية، وبعضها الآخر باللّغة الإنكليزيّة، وذلك حسب المصدر.

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has launched "Light of Hope," a new bulletin series dedicated to documenting the ongoing ordeal in the Middle East, with a primary focus on the catastrophic situation in Lebanon. This publication serves as a "cry" for the people of the Antiochian Levant who have endured decades of pain.

A Seminar Organized by the Middle East Council of Churches

Secretary General Professor Michel Abs: “We are dealing, today, with a sensitive and dangerous issue that pervades our contemporary lives, threatens stability, and constitutes a ticking social time bomb: demonization and hate speech”

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) organized a seminar entitled “Public Discourse in Wartime: Towards Dialogue to Reduce Hate” as part of the “Light of Hope” initiative, which MECC launched in response to the serious security developments in Lebanon and the Middle East. The initiative also covers the MECC ongoing humanitarian, field, and relief work and updates.

The seminar was held at the MECC Platform of the Word, with an online participation from Religious and Spiritual Leaders, intellectuals, and experts from various fields and sectors of life. It aimed to highlight the importance of the proper use of language, words, and discourse in building peace, especially amid escalating conflicts. It also stressed the need to overcome hate speech, promote values of love, dialogue, and respect, and strengthen a culture of dialogue and encounter among the diverse components of society.

His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian to the MECC Media:

“We are witnessing in the principles that we live by in our societies a kind of genocide or crime against spiritual and humanitarian values”

Keeping Memory Alive, we recall an article that includes an interview conducted by the Media Team of the Middle East Council of Churches with His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Catholic Family, on the 109th Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

This interview took place following a lecture on the Armenian Genocide entitled "Keeping Memory Alive," delivered by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, on Monday, April 22, 2024, at the Theatre of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate in Geitaoui, Lebanon.